On Wings of Blue
Things Atenean
Things, sacred things, things inherently lovable, but all the more lovable because they are the Atenean’s own…
That the Atenean may know his heritage, that he may cherish it, take pride in it, preserve it – that he may pass it on to those that follow in the noble lineage of Loyola…
That the whole world may know…
The Colors
Blue and White
These are the colors of our Patroness – Maria Purisima. It is She that is victorious, when in combat of wit, of strength, of speed, of precision, those proud banners, that blend so perfectly with the sky, wave triumphantly over all. It is She that rejoices, when the Atenean is victor over himself, careless of the scorn that is so often meted out to upholders of high principle.
Call him “Blue-blood”, because Blue is for loyalty, and loyalty is in his veins. Call him true-blue, because he loves Blue and he loves the Truth. Call him white-feathered, if you will – plumed, not with the white of fear and defeat, but with the White of strength and of victory – the white that is Our Lady’s – the white of purity.
By Faith and by Conviction, the Atenean looks up – always… And to him the blue of the sky and the white of the clouds are no mere accidents of color. They are a reminder to him that aloft is his place – high up in the loftiness and the purity of the heavens – the Catholic Gentleman – in though, word and deed, wandering, never in the colorless mire, but ever beyond, into realms of White and of Blue…
The Shield
The Shield of Loyola
This is the shield of the House of St. Ignatius of Loyola. It is the shiled of the Ateneo, for the Ateneo stands for all honorable things for which stood the House of Loyola.
The Shield is divided vertically into two. On the right side as one looks is the panel belonging to the family of Loyola, the maternal line of St. Ignatius. It consists of an “olla” or kettle, suspended from black pot-hooks, and two gray “lobos” or wolves holding the kettle and pot-hooks. The “lobo” and the “olla” were joined as “lobo y olla” finally contracting into Loyola. The wolf was a device of the “ricos homines” or the nobility, and the whole design was taken to represent the generosity of the House of Loyola.
“For the country people, still full of remembrance of Ignatius and his ancestry, relate, that this great name was given in those feudal times when great lords made war upon another upon another with a band of followers, whome they were bound to maintain; and this family of Loyola used to with such liberality, that the wolves always found something in the kettle to feast on, after soldiers were supplied.”
On the left panel of the spectator is the division belonging to the House of Oñaz, the family on the paternal side of St. Ignatius. In the division are seven red bars on a field of gold. This was a mark of great honor, as it was granted to the House of Oñaz by King Alfonso the Just in 1332 to wear these seven bands on their shield as a mark of the bravery of seven heroes of the family, who so distinguished themselves in the famous battle of Beotibar, in 1321, where Spaniards defeated 70,000 French, Navarrese, and Gascons.
Of such noble lineage was St. Ignatius. And the Atenean shares in this nobility. It is his heritage to be generous as the House of Loyola was generous; it is also his heritage to be brave, as were the knights of the House of Oñaz. And these were nothing but the things that are and should be the proud distinction of the Catholic Gentleman…
The Motto
Lux in Domino
This is the Motto of a Christian School. This is the battlecry of those sons of Loyola who have chosen for their field of conquest with the Cross and the Argument the fertile plains and verdant mountains of seven thousand tropical isles. This is their battlecry, who would mould the Filipino Youth, educate him, fashion his natural gifts with the steady hands of art and science, and bathe these in supernatural light of revelation.
This is the aim of that modern laboratory, that imposing library, that classroom, that playing field, that majestic but democratic House where one night Shakespeare may live and speak, and the next morning an unwieldy Freshman may squirm and stutter through his early attempt at original eloquence. For all this is a stairway – not to the stars, those little spots of silver which after all with a little stroke of art and science we may reach and hold prisoners in our thought and fancy – no – to something much higher; all this is a stairway to the Lord.
This indeed is the motto of the Atenean – the motto of Men…
The Mascot
The Blue Eagle
This is the symbol of a college that “soars into the highest realms of truth… and knows no fear”.
The Eagle – fiery, majestic, whose kingdom is the virgin sky, is swift in pursuit, terrible in battle. He is a King – a fighting King…
And so he was chosen – to soar with scholar’s though and word high into the regions of Truth and Excellence, to flap his glorious wings and cast his ominous shadow below, even as the student crusader would instill fear into those who would battle against the Cross.
And so he was chosen – to fly with the fleet limbs of the cinderpacer, to swoop down with the Blue gladiator into the arena of sporting combat and with him to fight – and to keep on fighting till brilliant victory, or honorable defeat.
And so he was chosen – to perch on the Shield of Loyola, to be the symbol of all things honorable, even as the Great Eagle is perched on the American escutcheon, to be the guardian of liberty.
And so he was chosen – and he lives, not only in body to soar over his campus eerie, but in spirit, in the Ateneo Spirit… For he flies high, and his is a fighter, and he is King!
The Spirit
Men talk of the Ateneo Spirit, but few – very few, know how it lives and breathes. One thing is for sure – it cannot live on love alone. It is easy to love a College with a reputation, a champion team, a crack regiment, a brilliant scholar. The Ateneo Spirit lives on something more. It lives on Obedience – and sacrifice.
It is not easy to obey. When the Dean of Discipline commands and you are impatient, it is not easy to obey him, but he is Authority. When the lieutenant orders, and you are tired, it is not easy to obey him. But he is Authority. When the Chearleader leads and harangues, and you are voiceless or, more precisely, your team is behind, it is very difficult to obey him. But he is Authority, and Authority demands Obedience… As the lieutenant wields his sword, so does the Cheerleader his megaphone. And the megaphone is no mere sound amplifier. It is an indicator that the man behind it must be obeyed. For he knows, and the Team needs you… not the novelty of rhythmic yells, but the power that is yours to give them in the old cheers of champions – if you would but obey…
But even at these moments, it is not impossible to obey. A little sacrifice, the true essence of Ateneo Spirit, will suffice. You love the Ateneo because she is a maker of scholars and a maker of fighters. Love it then, but remember – the College with a reputation is the College with a reputation, because men before you obeyed and sacrificed and expected nothing in return… And that is your mission – you who would fathom the apparent mysticism of Ateneo Spirit, and would let it breathe and live in you, as did those who have gone before…
The Pledge
Because we realize that a cheering squad is the mirror of te school's support for the team, upon the Shield of Loyola, which stands for courage, and courtesy, and all honorable things, we do solemnly pledge:
- To cheer our own team to victory, but not to scorn or despise our opponents;
- To behave like true sons of the Blue and White at all times;
- To believe that the conquest of self is the first and best of all victories;
- To practice self-control at all times, and to show consideration for all – especially opponents;
- To be modest in victory, and not alibi nor sulk in defeat, but at all times to prove to ourselves and to the rest of the world that we are Filipino Catholic Gentlemen, worthy to wear the escutcheon of Loyola, worthy sons of the Alma Mater.